by Xypher Pino and David Slifer

Dedicated, always joyful, free-spirited, a dreamer – as described by students, this is who Professor William Perry Morgan was. Absolutely loved by the Greensboro College community, Perry always radiated positivity everywhere he went; he was and remains a dear friend to all. His genuine love for others and creativity was an embodiment of what GC is all about. It was a devastating blow to our community when it was announced on August 30 that Perry had been involved in a tragic car accident the night before, leading to his unfortunate passing.

William Perry Morgan was born on March 27, 1961, in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. Growing up in Avenel, NJ, he always had a love for theatre – he would frequently go out with his friends to see live shows and would even help his church produce their own performances. To further his love for musical theatre, Perry attended Long Island University, earning a bachelor’s in fine arts and a master’s in science. In addition, he also attended Naropa University for a Master of Fine Arts in contemporary theatre performance.

Perry was an experienced director and composer, having contributed to work that has been featured across the US and even in other countries. Some of his directing credits include: the Texas Shakespeare Festival, Greenbrier Valley Theatre, Biform Summer Playhouse and the Greensboro Playwright’s Forum. He also created ballet scores that premiered in New York, France and Switzerland. Furthermore, he served as the company composer for Pyramid Productions in Indiana for over 20 years and as resident musical director at the Barter Theatre in Virginia for five years. In his time with Barter Theatre, he not only directed shows but also performed in certain productions. He had incredible talent on the stage, earning Best Supporting Actor honors in the 1982-1983 season for his performance as Emory in The Boys in the Band.

During a summer camp in 1993, Perry met the love of his life, Jo Hall, professor of theatre and dean of the school of the arts. They married one year after meeting, and shared a total of 31 amazing years together. Hall noted that one of the best things about Perry was the joy he had when teaching the next generation of theatre students. He had great love and passion for mentoring his students, helping them grow professionally but also connecting to them as a friend.

Joining the Greensboro College faculty in 2011, Perry helped cultivate the program into what it is today. Perry first started off as an adjunct member of the faculty. “I was already a professor here when he started off as an adjunct,” Hall said. “And people would often refer to him as ‘just the professor’s spouse,’ which he did not like, so he was very eager to keep working at GC and become a full-time professor.” As Perry became more involved on campus, he spearheaded the creation of the musical theatre concentration, now one of the more popular majors here at GC.

David Schram, retired former dean of faculty, was one of the main people involved in hiring Perry at the time. “I met Perry at a panel for people interested in theatre programs. He got very excited when he learned about Greensboro College. My first impression was that this guy absolutely loves what he does and is always excited to share ideas. His passionate and holistic approach with the musical theatre program made us unique and created great students who were well-rounded.”

Over the years, Perry directed numerous productions at GC, one of the most notable being the Tonin’ series, a production of original stories made in collaboration with theatre department chair and head of the dance program Ashley Hyers and GC Campus Chaplain Dr. Robert Brewer. When Hyers first met Perry to plan for the shows, she said that he introduced himself by saying, “Hi. Perry Morgan. Stripper poles, I want stripper poles!”

Hyers added, “Nobody directs like Perry. From day one, he was out of the box. He had the craziest ideas. He always wanted someone ziplining from the balcony to the stage, and he really wanted people to jump into the stage pit onto a trampoline and come back up. From all these crazy ideas, though, there were some things that we were able to do which made the shows better, and that is part of why it was so great working with him.” Perry’s unmatched creativity and passion for his work mixed with his joyful personality made him a joy to be around; it’s no wonder the GC community quickly embraced him as an integral member of our family.

“When we were working on the shows, we would often have lunch together: Perry, Ashley and me. We would call it family lunch,” says Brewer, reflecting on some of his favorite memories. “This is because one time, we all went to a rock concert, and Perry said out loud in front of everyone, ‘Thanks, mom and dad! This was so fun!’ It was so embarrassing, but ever since then we started calling him our son, even though he was much older than Ashley and I.”

Hall shared that Perry always wanted to be remembered as a friend and a mentor, the professor with a quirky personality. Brewer added to that: “A professional, creative director, actor and singer with great compassion and kindness to his students – that is Perry for you.”

Perry always gave his all to everything he devoted his time to. He would always push others to succeed, to help them grow as people, and his creativity was incredibly inspiring. “It was an honor to work with Perry. He would always think outside the box, trying to make something richer, deeper and stronger,” Brewer stated when asked what the best part about working with Perry was. “He constantly pushed for us to see something more. I loved seeing him in his element; the way he would tell a story with meaning, thoughtfulness and creativity while working with students, helping them grow stronger both as actors and as people.”

On September 17, a memorial service was held at Finch Chapel for Perry. It was beautifully organized, an amazing way to remember and celebrate his life. The building was filled to capacity with so many people who Perry touched during his life, and all of those who miss their friend. “This was the time for all of us to be together, to remember our friend and colleague; a time to grieve. Perry was not just a colleague, but a dear friend to most everyone on campus. We are really going to miss our friend,” said Brewer, who officiated the service.

With Professor Perry’s passing, Greensboro College lost one of its foundational pillars. As a community, now more than ever, we must come together and support each other. Let us channel Perry’s absolute love for others and spread kindness in his memory. As Perry would always say to start and end every class or rehearsal: “In honor and respect for each other, in honor and respect for this space, in honor and respect for the time we share together: Hold, feel, give.” Thank you, Perry, for being a bright light in every life you touched. We miss you dearly.